Meljoann

So, the album's getting mastered by the excellent Mel Ryan, also known as Meljoann. She makes deadly weird R'n'B, that manages to be accessible, interesting, melodic, unique, and wonky. She sang in the choir I got together for the EP launch, and I'm told she plays the flute too... The production on her songs is great, and I trust her to preserve the balance in my stuff. Electronic while not mad bangin, vocal while not swamped in Over Compressed Vocals.

Here's the record label she set up - checkit!

Demodemodemo de Mode du Monde

As we say On The Continent. So I've been getting my internet on, researching labels all over the world. All over the world, says she!

My cunning plan is to get the album released in as many countries as I can, or even just get talking to people who may be in a position to have us over for an aul gig. An aul gig, says she!

The UK, the Americas, Africa, Yerp, Australasia, Asia, I'm only limited by my reserves of patience. Philips' School Atlas on my lap, and away we go. Virtually speaking....

I've been fascinated by the island of Saint Helena since I read about it. On one side, the wind never blows, and on the other, it never stops. The only way to get there is on a Royal Mail boat, and it takes two weeks to get there (did somebody say "Hen Party"!!??). Maybe I'll leave Saint Helena for the time being, but I'll get there eventually.

More from the talented Mr Quinn

Barry put up a post on his blog about the artwork for the album. I like the hexagonal shape of the case, kinda mirrors the star/sky/geometry formation. It looks handy out to make the case too, just a couple of folds in a piece of paper. I'm going to hunt out different types of black paper, and the many shades of black. A nod to the magpies...

Gig this Saturday, more waffle

I'm playing in SARC in Belfast this Saturday. Yeow! First gig of 2011. Back to the old sod for a week and a bit too. I'm getting a loan of an electric cello for the night.

On Tuesday, I've one last day in the studio (I hope!) to dot all the I's and cross all the T's. As for the release, in the words of Homer Simpson, "Can't somebody else do it?" So I'm making some demo CDs with partial artwork, and away they fly to "the most eligible record labels". Whoever and wherever they are.

2FM Session, Bandcamp, trips to the shop, and "Echo"

I went into 2FM there a few weeks back and recorded some songs. Got to play a piano on one of them, which was great, a Steinway grand, no less. I suppose this means I'll have to make my peace with the TV licence fee.

Dropped in to Ed on Monday and he told me that there is real-live hard cold cash money in the Bandcamp ether from sales of the EP. Will wonders never cease? Paying for a download? Whoever you are, thank you so so so so much, lovely people! Thus heartened, I betook myself to Freebird (in the Secret Book & Record Store), The R.A.G.E., and Tower here in Dublin and stuck in some copies. Even to have them on a shelf somewhere is good.

But the biiig biiiig news is that yesterday we finished mixing the album.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Big huge thanks to Joe, not only for all the help, advice, amazing mics to record on and all that... To leave with a bit of a beginner's knowledge of Protools, and a rake of beautiful new plug-ins, well, that's the cherry on top of the seven-tier cake.

Sprrrring Cycle

Spring-cleaning and packing with the windows open and the sun streaming in. Listening to Morphamish and a gem from last December by Redmonk (which I can't find a download link to now. Boo! But check out this and An Dord is Mó on Raidió na Life. Always a treat.)

I saw Laura Sheeran play in Tower last Friday, just beeeeeaaautiful. Harp, accordion, ukele, double bass, guitar, live electronics, and herself. Two "proper" launch gigs will be on later in the month, in Galway on the 17th, and Dublin on the 18th. Worth a look and a listen! I'll be outta the country by then, alas.

The Life of a Song

Little did I think when I named a song "Dwell" that it'd take so long to finish (touch wood - it's not mixed yet). But there you go. Took a few months to write, from initial earworm stage to being finished, and it's the oldest song on the album. Recorded and re-recorded over three days (as opposed to an hour or two for all the others), edited, re-edited, synths tuned up and tuned back down. I suppose it's very dear to my heart, so I want it to be propah propah, but it's ironic too, given that it's about eeehh not dwelling and all those Buddhist etceteras.